Last day for border schools survey

Sinn Féin
Education Spokesperson Chris Hazzard has said today is the last opportunity to
make a submission on the future of education provision in border areas before
it closes at the end of the week.

Mr.
Hazzard said:

“Today
is the last day for parents to make their views known on the future on the
initiative unveiled by Education Minister John O’Dowd and his Southern
counterpart Minister Ruairi Quinn.

“This
initiative in an attempt to examine how education provision is provided along
the border corridor and whether there is scope to engage in Educational joint
planning between the Assembly and Dáil Éireann.

“We
have many parents now living in one jurisdiction and working in the other, but
their children can potentially face barriers to crossing the border in search
of places in schools. Some of these barriers may require legislative adjustment
and I am delighted that Minister O’Dowd will examine ways in which this can be
amended accordingly, but in many cases parents are just not aware of the
options that may be open to them.

“The
online questionnaire is available to parents of pupils attending either primary
schools that lie within six miles of the border, or post-primary schools up to
12 miles from the border.

”I would
urge anyone who has yet to make a submission to do so immediately and not to
miss the deadline so that their views can be taken into consideration.”